Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-17
Holiday "Reminiscences % m Old Resi-.
dent Of WashingtOn.


cEKIsrnAs CELEBRATION FORTY YEARS AGO.
STAR reporter was caught In a crowd OF shop
pers a few days ago-a mass OF ladies' and children
with here and there a man well loaded down with
packages, plainly Indicating that "Christmas Is
coming" In the crowd the reporter espied an old
man, nearly seventy years OF age, who was almost
upset by the moving mass, and calling TO him
asked, "what do you think OF this?-
"Why." said he breathlessly, "this f. awful.
The crowds become greater each successive year.
remember when the crowds at Christmas times
would not be drop in the bucket to this and yet
Christmas Is nearly two weeks distant"
'HOw long ago was that?" asked the reporter as
the old man worked his way uut Of the jam into
a side street. After he had regained his breath
and smooshed down his rumpled hat, the old citi-
zen explained that he was In business here In the
los as a confectfOner. I'VE thought there was a
good deal OF business going on In those days" he
the year, but there were no such crowds as we see
now and there was not near the variety In all the
confectionery stores In Washington that we now
see In one window. Three or four kinds OF candy
and one two OF taffy formed the bulk OF the
and raisin leaves Frosted cakes were Sometimes
made TO order during the holiday season"
mo one living at that time. continued the mar
rator, had the least idea that Washington would
have reached Its present proportions In a hundred
years. II am not mistaken, the population then
was In the neighborhood Of 10000,
1--WE had then but one railroad, and that TO Balti-
more and tie southern travel was entirely by
steamboats, The fare on the railroad to and from
Baltimore WAS about 81. and trunks were charged
from so cents TO 81 extra remember one old lady
wear 10 zee her daughter Arriving here one warm
summer day she stopped In the house OF friend TO
rest The friend knew her well, but she see med so
large that he remarked that she was getting fat.
no honey she replied 'they amt going TO catch
me paying extra Tor trunk when 1 can bring
@ On any RSt an Tbe on baG any 1aex
me warm. but saved my dollar
"You want 70 know something OF the business
IN those daJs?" he continued. "Well, let's see
who remember. There was Kinchey on the Ave
nue., near where schneider keeps his hardware
where THs star once is now; SOGeeck, on Penn,
sylyania avenue, between 9th and 10th streets;
Riley, on 10ta street, above street; Morrell, 9th
and i streets; Jake Norbeok, on Pennsylvania
avenue, above 18th street, and Jos Bear1sley,
Pennsylvania avenue, above 18th street. There
AT that time the eastern part OF the city was
mostly settled about the navy-yard gate, the old
rOpe-walk, somewhere about ID and 4th streets
but don't think that there was . confectioner or
cake baker east OF the Capitol I know q friend
and I' Was s anxious to pstroniss her friends he
found Navy Yard tailor and q Navy ard minis
Ter TO tie the knot, but he had city man to bake
the cake.
was then almost unknown. There were open
fields In that part OF the city, with Q settlement
about the Long Bridge and one or two other col
lectIOns OF houses The Smithsonian Institution,
ArmOry or other buildings on the mall had not
been thought OF then the upper part OF TN
street, where Weaver located, was then uninvit-
then, but Nh street was unpaved and hogs ran at
large. At the corner OF h street was what was
known as the "Wood-sawyers' Hotel" The North
ern Liberty Fire Company was located Just around
the corner. near the market, north OF Mt. Vernon
SQUARE, ard McKendree NJ. E church had but
Il suppose" remarked the reporter shat the
eonfectioner had ,lhe bulk OF the Christmas trade
''Yes." he replied, especially II he kept up his
stock and dealt In toys. You might say that he
sold at CHRISTMAS times stick candy round and
nat; kisses, IlOlasses taffy, and the Washington
fs5 worth OF tany, by the and 10 cents worth, in
one day. He had 70 keep ginger bread, sugar
cake, frosted cake, with raisins, nuts ana toys.
The toys were mostly dolls. painted wooden toys,
and tin figures After the dolls for the girls the
the box, and snake. Tnere were no machine toys
steam engines, or boats, even those worked by
spring net having APPEARED False-faces were
up as they do now, and often year passed with
out single new thing being Introduced. French
EorDeck built up when he brought out his .iye-
starred candy
THE cHnDREN's TRADE
'There were small shops TO be found, especially
near the school houses, which caught nearly all
and streets; Nanny Jones a colored woman, who
sold long twists OF yaller tafy on G street, near
where Epiphany Church now stands; old MIS-
1Ih, whose .pufis and pies were famous at the
time: ole Mrs Matthews. with her cent pies,
yaller tany and flap jacks on the Avenue above
cakes, near 10Th street. These had their effect on
The larger stores. But these stores at that time
were nothing compared 70 the present ones Ths
two on each side, were thought TO be great"
"Giye me an IDEA, urged the reporter, 'as to
how Christmas day was observed"
well" he answered. '.in a nutshell. the day was
looked upon as one for eating and drinking There
were some customs then which are yet In vogue
On Christmas Eve turkey rafiles were common,
and the popular drinks were esg-nogg and cider
The participants generally went home about mid
with drink The schools. public and private,
would have half holiday on Christmas Eve, the
whole OF Christmas day ana likely half holidays
dIrlng the week. There was not much present.
making In those days
CHRISTMAS NDULGKNcEs
AT the rre-engfne houses the boys would pre-
pare 10 have q good time, and generally had 1t In
the shape OF big bowl OF egg-nog. Early In the
morning the bells would be rung bOn-rres built
and the boys some OF whom eluded the vigilance
oI parents and had been out all night would
bong out firearms and greet the day with a
Iuslale- Almost every family kept open house,
a. The temperance movement was then In its In
fancy, and besides egg-nog, decanters OF various
would 20 from house 10 house, and, as NAV be
imagined, few sawa whole Christmas, for many
wound lie taken 10 a friendly bed before the day
vas hail gone IL always seemed TO me that u
washington Christmas drunk was peculiar, In
tn1t the victim In those days always appeared
sOJd-natuTed, and j can recall but few
scenes Of disorder occurring ON that day.
About The most cOmicaI sight ever witnessed on
Christmas day was about Ihirty-nve years ago.
a party Of ten OF twelve young men, under the
l-id Of the son OF dry-gOOd5 dealer on Pennsyl-
saila avenue, had imoibed so much egg nog that
tIsy could only stand by locking arms. They
rrDe rad Gran
which they bound ON the left arm. When the
pump az the National Hotel corner was reached
the leader SeiZed the handle and sIeadird himself
lae line wavereu, but, with linked arms, was not
brOken- Then dozen voices, with much emotion,
e>sayed 70 sing w ashington's Grave" The audi
Officers Of that day, Mr.. Murphy, was an inter-
estec OBJ eryer. Having Determined the course OF
action, Sr Murphy carefully removed the leaders
arm irOin The pump handle and placed II within
Lbs Own and started dia2Onally across TO the Gen.
tral Guard House. The chOristers having before
them tile motto, II nited, we stand; divided we
Iai. kept their arms locked, and oOliyious To the
Tact tnat Mr.. Murphy was ON the right OF the line
followed on Until amid the laughter Of the Justice
and oths - the door was locked ON them at the
guard house. While Mr.. Murphy won the COM
menfatiOn OF his supertOrs, the boys were put To
s.eep were allowed To 80. This relate solely TO
show hJw good natured the old Washington
ChrIStna IS DRINKS were"
EyADIN6 THE LAW
cot course. We had nre-crsckers and torpedoes
IL Was as,ainst the law " keep or sell them, but
We managed 10 do both. The old slave laws were
then In existence. and colored persons oath was
n1t received against a white person. We could
N TI.aa aur.Hr